Animagi
by thishasbeenabanadoned
Summary: After discovering Remus' condition James, Sirius and Peter decide to help him out. However, this is much more difficult than they first anticipated.
1. Chapter 1

_Author note: This is about the Marauders' journey to becoming Animagi. Except Remus 'cos he's, like, a werewolf and all. _

**1971-- Late Second Year**

Peter stared at the book. It was rather frightening for some reason. It was just a book after all. But it was a _huge _book filled with the tiniest calligraphy and the most complicated illustrations and diagrams. It was covered in dust, its pages were yellowed with age and it smelt like old parchment and _hard work_. Remus would absolutely love that book. It was quite Remusy. But it was not, by any stretch of imagination, Petery. He poked it with his wand and stared at it in a bemused fashion. That was all it was to him, something to be poked and stared at. To Remus it would be something to be read for _pleasure_. For James it was a challenge. For Sirius fun. But as for Peter he was content with just poking it and not opening the old leather bound covers to be devoured by the terribly hard work within.

"Stop poking it will you Pete?"

Peter stopped poking it but continued to stare. At least he'd have James and Sirius to help him with the Hard Work that lay ahead. After all it was their idea.

"Remus would love this book." Peter stated, "It is big and boring and incredibly hard work and he would _love _it. Why can't we just give it to him?"

"Because," said James patiently "Remus can't _know _about it. It's a surprise."

"It'll still be a surprise, he just won't have to wait as long."

"But that's not the _point_ Pete," Sirius said, "_We_ have to be the surprise. Not some dirty great _book_."

"But Remus likes dirty great books."

"Well he'll like this better. Lets get started."

James opened the book and Peter groaned. The first page was one hundred percent writing. No pictures, No great big title or anything. The author had obviously not wanted to waste any time, straight to the writing. Even James looked slightly overwhelmed.

"This is okay. We'll get through it." He said sounding reassuringly confident. "Eventually." He added, shattering Peter's sudden visions of hope. He was sure they'd all be dead before they finished reading the introduction let alone actually become Animagi.

"Becoming an animagus is perhaps one of the most difficult and advanced magics a witch or wizard could hope to achieve." Sirius read, "What an encouraging first sentence."

---

_Authors note (continued): This first part is short because it's prolouge-ish and whatnot. But the other chapters will be longer. And it's not all in Peter's POV, it's got Sirius, James and Remus too. so yeah. enjoy. and review._


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: The next part. Siruis, James and Peter try it for the first time._

**

* * *

1973-- Late Fourth Year**

Sirius ginned triumphantly. They had done it. They had beaten the book, it thought it was so big and complicated and they had beaten it! Beaten it like a bludger at a Slytherin! Like a large rock at a Slytherin! Like _something _at a Slytherin!

"Right, now we're up to _trying _it. We've still got a long way to go though." Said James, opening the manuscript and flipping to the right page.

Well, almost. But they were up to trying it! That was an achievement that ought to be celebrated with much butterbeer, firewhiskey and, for dear Lupin, tea. However Remus would not join their celebration because they weren't quite done yet.

"This'll be _easy_." Sirius said smirking cockily at the book, it could not defeat him. And if it tried he would throw it, with much force, at the head of a Slytherin.

"Actually it says this is the hardest part, and there's apparently zero chance we'll get it anywhere near right." Said Peter leaning over the tome and reading it's _incredibly_ depressing and demoralising words. That book was so pessimistic.

"It _has _to work." Said Sirius sounding slightly desperate, "We've spent _ages _reading this book --_library _more like-- and doing its 'Preparation Exercises' and practising 'Getting In Touch With Your Inner Animal' _every bloody day._ So don't tell me it won't work 'cos it bloody well will or there'll be hell to pay!"

"Okay, okay," said Peter putting his hands up defensively, "I was just reading, I never said _I_ think it won't work."

"Good. Because it will."

"That's the spirit lads." Said James stepping back from the mass of pages and glancing at his watch. "It says that until we figure out how to switch between forms it'll take twenty-four hours to wear off. So if anyone has anything on today it had better be cancelled. Get ready men."

They lined up in front of the book, reading over the instructions one last time before they attempted it.

"Everyone in touch with their inner animal?" Asked Peter in mock seriousness.

"Shut up and concentrate. Okay in three… two… one…"

---

Sirius closed his eyes and concentrated as hard as he could on being an animal. It would help if he _knew_ what he was supposed to be turning into, but apparently after this they would know one way or other. _So think Sirius! Feel the animal, be the animal. You are a--_

"Hey Sirius you can open our eyes now."

"Am I an animal?" he asked hopefully.

"You're a mongrel."

"Hey!" Sirius' eyes snapped open to glare at his best friend.

"No, really. Look in the mirror."

Sirius walked over to the mirror of their dormitory and looked at his reflection. He looked like Sirius.

"I don't look any different." He said disappointedly.

"Uhh… maybe you should turn around."

Sirius did so and looked over his shoulder at his reflection.

" I. Have. A. _Tail_." He stared into the mirror transfixed, he wondered if he could move it? It wagged.

"Ha ha! Look it's _moving._" He exclaimed triumphantly and turned to face James then cried out in surprise. How did he miss it before? Was he _blind _or something? "Mate, you have a tree growing out of your skull!"

"I noticed." James said looking into the mirror and self consciously touching the massive prongs sticking out of his head. "I must be a stag or –-tree-- I'll stick with stag. What about you Pete?"

"Uhh… I have a tail too."

"Ha! It looks like a worm!" Said Sirius cheerfully, "My tail has _fur. _See look! It's _furry._"

"You must be some kind of rodent. A mouse or rat or something." James said ignoring Sirius who was still marvelling at his wagging, furry tail.

There was a rattling noise and the dorm's doorhandle shook.

"Hey! Let me in! Why'd you lock the door?"

James grabbed the book and buried it under some clothes on the floor. "Quick, hide; it's Remus!" He whispered urgently.

Peter ran into the bathroom and Sirius sat in his trunk snatching clothes of the floor to help cover up his tail.

"Alohamora!"

The door opened and James dived towards his bed thrusting his head underneath it.

---

"Why was the door-- what on earth are you doing?"

"Oh I just thought I'd… sit in my trunk. For no reason."

"Okay then Sirius. And what is James doing?"

"I'm looking for my… uh… tree. Printed socks. My socks with trees printed on them. Socks not trees. Haha why would I have a tree under my bed?"

"I don't know. Good luck with the socks. Where's Peter?"

"Oh, he has worm rats. I mean he went to get a warm mat. To warm up a mat. You know how it is. This floor is pretty cold." Sirius gave up talking and just nodded his head, smiling knowingly at the confused boy.

"Riiight. I have to --go-- now. Have fun with your… things." Remus backed out of the room and closed the door quietly re-locking it and making his way back down to the common room. Back to the world of _sense_, which did not involve any James Potters, Sirius Blacks or Peter Pettigrews. Odd people.

* * *

_A/N: I guess this is pretty short too. Perhaps when I've finished I'll turn it into a one-shot. Enjoy and review!_


	3. Chapter 3

**1974-- Early Fifth Year**

"Hey, Remus!"

Remus glanced up from his book as James came bounding through the portrait and headed up to their dorm. He was positively glowing with delight, so much so that it hurt his eyes to look directly at the boy's beaming face. The other inhabitants of the Gryffindor common room looked at them suspiciously, knowing that a happy James meant either that Lily had decided to go out with him (though they all knew it wasn't _that_) or, in all probability, the Marauders were up to their old tricks.

Remus squashed the sudden feeling of curiosity rising in him and turned back to his book. He was a prefect now, if James wanted to ignore his half-hearted advice and continue to rampage around the school making mischief than it was probably better if he didn't have anything to do with it.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder why James was feeling so chipper as of late.

After a few minutes of careful deliberation he closed his book and made his way up to their dorm.

---

"Ha, it's funny; I could have sworn you just said you actually _did_ it." Said a voice Remus recognised as Sirius'.

He was standing at the door, speculating wether he should go in, or just stand there listening. Whilst he was considering all the possibilities he stood there and listened.

"Yeah, that's because I _did_." Said James, sounding incredibly pleased with himself.

"What? You-- you mean-- I can't believe-- You _fully_-- How did-- How did you _do_ it?" Stuttered Sirius.

'_Do what?'_ Remus thought exasperatedly before remembering he was supposed to be debating wether to go in or not.

"Wow, that's _amazing_. That's really-- _Wow_." Peter seemed at a loss for words.

" It is isn't it?" James said proudly.

Remus couldn't stand it anymore; only those three could go on for so long saying "it" without actually saying what "it" was. He grasped the doorknob in his hand and turned it, noticing the voices inside suddenly quiet.

"Hello," He said cheerfully, "What are you all talking about?"

"Who says we were talking about anything?" Sirius said defensively.

Remus just rolled his eyes and looked towards James for an explanation.

"I wouldn't worry your wee little prefect head over it," James said dismissively, "It has nothing to do with you."

Anyone else would have believed him straight off, but anyone else hadn't been living with him for a good part of over four years. To Remus, it was perfectly obvious that James was lying. He thought perhaps this should worry him, but it only intrigued him further.

---

An eventless two weeks later, everyone had finally dropped their guard, dismissing James' gleeful mood as something completely harmless. The relaxed atmosphere disappeared when the peace of the common room was abruptly disturbed by the sudden appearance of Sirius Black.

He charged into the room whooping with sheer joy. Jumping onto a low table in front of the fireplace he pumped the air with his fist with a loud exclamation: "YES!" He then proceeded to run around the room high-fiveing anyone who would high-five him. When he came across Remus he grinned manically before dashing up the stairs to their dorm.

Now the inhabitants of the Gryffindor common room we _really_ worried. They had never seen Sirius Black so happy before; it was not a good sign. They resolved not to leave their dorms without the proper protective gear and to have their wands ready at all times.

Sirius thudded back down the stairs, composing himself as much as possible and asking if perhaps anyone knew where James and Peter were. Remus wordlessly pointed out the window towards the Lake watching as Sirius spun around and headed through the portrait chanting, "I did it! I did it!" jovially over and over.

Remus frowned with frustration but continued to work on his essay for Transfiguration. Why were all his friends suddenly so ecstatic? It was maddening.

---

A month passed. An incredibly action-packed month, in which Remus wrote essays, alphabetised his extensive collection of books and balled various coloured socks. James and Sirius indulged in minor acts of mischief and snuck food in from the kitchens at least twice a week in order to "celebrate" an event they did not care to share with Remus. And Peter… actually Peter didn't seem to be about all that much.

---

It was a Thursday when Remus' life changed.

It hadn't been a particularly enjoyable Thursday, in fact it had been rather miserable. They'd had Potions with the Slytherins, and that was usually enough to put him in a bad mood. He wasn't very good at Potions; some people would even go so far as to say he was bloody hopeless.

In addition to this he had two rolls of parchment to write on Animagi for Transfiguration and when he'd gone to the library, he was told the book he'd been looking for on the subject had apparently been missing since 1971. It was infuriating to say the least.

Remus sat on his bed dusting the piece of parchment he intended to write his essay on with the end of his quill. James and Sirius were sitting on the floor playing a distracting game of exploding snap and just, overall, making a lot of unnecessary noise.

Suddenly Peter burst into the room wide-eyed and looking very surprised.

"_I_ did it. _Me_. Me! How… Me! I _did_ it!" Peter's face lit up with a smile and he did a little victory dance.

"Did what?" Asked Remus hoping for a straight answer.

"Well done Pete!" Exclaimed Sirius as the pile of cards exploded once again.

"Congratulations, I knew you could do it!" Said James straightening his glasses.

"Do what?" Asked Remus exasperated.

"I worked _really hard_, because I knew you two could do it and were waiting for me and I finally did it!"

"_Did what_?" Remus repeated, irritably.

"Yeah," said Sirius standing up, "I've been waiting _years_ for this moment."

"Now we can finally tell Remus." James said happily.

"TELL ME _WHAT!?_" Remus cried out glaring at the three boys who had suddenly remembered he was in the room.

"Oh, right, sorry 'bout that." Sirius said, "It's just we've been working on it for _years_, like, since Second Year and we've finally managed to become fully fledged Animaguses."

"I believe the correct plural form is Animagi," Remus replied, then, "What? You-- _what?_"

"Yeah, when you told us about your furry little problem we weren't really sure what to do about it." Said James, "Then I realised that you can't hurt other animals. I mean, you can scratch them and bite them and throw them out windows and stuff but you can't, you know, give them a furry little problem of their own. So I thought it'd be a good idea if we became Animaguses-- _Animagi _so we could come with you to the shack on full moon and keep you company."

Remus blinked at him. He opened his mouth, closed it, and blinked at him again.

"The reason we didn't tell you was because you'd tell us it was dangerous and try to talk us out of it." Peter said in a matter-of-fact voice, "And Sirius said you'd like this surprise more than the book."

Remus looked at him, "It _is_ dangerous, _incredibly_ danger-- book? What book exactly?"

Sirius grimaced and pulled a huge old book from under his bed. "This book." He said, "You wouldn't like it Remus, it's _evil_."

Remus thought he recognised it from somewhere and said, "Sirius? Is this the book you got detention for throwing at Snape?"

"Er, yes. Yes it is."

"I didn't see the title, you threw it pretty hard after all, I-- wait. I was _looking_ for this book! Not a moment ago! I went to the library and was told it had been missing since…" Remus realised something and looked at them all, shock written all over his face, "You _stole_ a book from the _library!?_"

"Hey," said James defensively, "we had good reason!"

"But still," said Remus, "Madam Pince will _kill_ you. She'll _murder_ you in your sleep. I can't _believe_ you _stole…_"

"_I_ can't believe you care more about us stealing a _book_ than us becoming Animagi _for you_." Said Sirius tersely.

"Oh." Remus said blinking, it hadn't really sunk in until now. "Oh. I… oh. I don't know what to say, I just… oh."

"How about 'thank you'?"

"_Thank you_."

* * *

_A/N: Hey, sorry I took so long with this. I ran into a little writers block and was sort of floundering around for something to write for a while. Then I suddenly realised I could always write this. And so I did. Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed. If you hadn't I assure you this chapter would NEVER have been written. Because I am just lazy like that. Anyway, I hope you all liked this chapter and please leave a review: )!_


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